The Duchess Praises the "Invictus Family" & Reveals Military Base Visits During Inspiring Closing Ceremony

For their final engagement in Australia, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Invictus Games closing ceremony this evening at Qudos Bank Arena.

Harry and Meghan's first joint Commonwealth tour has seen them undertake an exhausting schedule across Australia, Fiji and Tonga representing Her Majesty abroad. Thus far, it's been filled with memorable highlights, unforgettable encounters, warm welcomes and hugs. The heart of this tour, however, is the Invictus Games. The itinerary was planned to ensure the couple could be in Sydney for both the opening and closing ceremonies to honour the unconquered spirit of our wounded warriors. We know Harry as a prince, a son, a brother, a husband and soon a father, but he is also a soldier. His time in the Army helped to shape the man we know today and the friendships and bonds of comradeship he forged during his time in service led to Invictus. This year, Meghan is now officially part of the Invictus family and will be by Harry's side ensuring the Games continue for many years to come.

At the opening speech Prince Harry praised the power of the Invictus Generation: "They have reminded us all what selfless duty really looks like. With the help of medical science, the Invictus generation has not only survived injuries that in past conflicts would have been fatal, but has also chosen to fight back from the darkest of places to be here tonight. They have shown us the true meaning of resilience. When they have been open about their hidden emotional and mental wounds, the Invictus generation has shown us that in today’s world being tough means being honest about how we feel - both inside and out."

To mark the conclusion of the games, an array of international headline music artists assembled to celebrate the achievements and drive of the competitors. The ceremony has been described as a "celebration of spirit", featuring powerhouse musical performances, world dignitaries and inspirational stories. The Invictus Games flag will now be passed to the Dutch city of the Hague where the next Invictus Games will be staged in 2020.

An overview from the ceremony.

The audience was treated to a beautiful performance by the Kingdom Choir, who performed at Harry and Meghan's wedding.

It's been an unforgettable eight days since the opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House.

Five-hundred competitors from eighteen nations competed in eleven medal sports and participated in golf and wheelchair tennis.

Invictus is very much a family.

Friendship is at the core of the Games. Mark Brook reported: "British mine warfare specialist Paul Guest was visibly shaken when a helicopter flew by during his wheelchair tennis doubles match at Sydney Olympic Park on Monday. The 54-year-old, who was injured serving during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, was so overcome with emotion he was unable to play and needed to be comforted by Dutch teammate Edwin Vermetten, who realised he was suffering. The Dutchman then grabbed Guest by the shoulders and pulled their foreheads together before he sang to the man in a touching moment of camaraderie. Vermetten described how he used the popular anthem 'Let It Go' from the Disney film Frozen as a way to help Guest repress the memories that were flooding back." Edwin was awarded for his kindness during the ceremony; the visibly moved competitor quickly sought out Paul to hug him. It was an incredible moment, and I defy anyone not to shed a tear watching it.

Harry with Paul Guest earlier today.

It's all about stories. 67-year-old Cavell Simmonds of Canada is the oldest competitor at the Invictus Games Sydney 2018. She said: "A member of the 2017 Invictus Games team suggested that I apply. I didn't want to because I figured I was too old and couldn't do anything and wouldn't be selected. But it's such a healing benefit. The preparation for coming, the team support, getting to know people, talking to like-minded people – countries and countries of like-minded people – it gives you inspiration to get out of the house, take care of yourself and be the special person that you can be because we are all unique and this is a fantastic way to see yourself."

The New Zealand team co-captain Kelly Whittle discussed joining the event: "When you're ready to be part of the Invictus family, they'll draw you in, no questions asked. For people who are still struggling but think they are ready, these Games will just lift you…really lift you."

When asked about the Invictus spirit one need only look at exemplar Mark Ormrod: '"All our injuries are different but in the pool it's like a level playing field," said UK competitor Mark Ormrod. He decided at the last minute to enter the 50m backstroke after hearing that the race might be cancelled because there was only one registered entrant, Australia’s Garry Robinson. Ormrod's training consisted of about three laps of the practice pool about two hours before the race which he won by a finger tip and 0.29 of a second amid a wall of sound from onlookers. "I wish we could both have got a medal. It was so close. Garry’s a lovely guy," he said after returning with a gold medal which he collected with his seven-year-old son Mason by his side. Ormond was deployed in Iraq in 2003 and to Afghanistan in 2007. He was returning from a foot patrol when he stood on a landmine on Christmas Eve. "These Games mean more than he (Prince Harry) will ever know. "Everyone needs goals and directions. The first time I went into a pool post injuries I nearly drowned." His wife Becky, their children Mason, seven, and Evie, five, and Mark’s daughter Kezia, 13, were in the roaring crowd. "I don’t usually get emotional but that made me cry," said Becky. "He gave it his absolute all." Below, Harry and Meghan with Mark in April.

Sydney hosted more than 1,000 accompanying family and friends who stood in the stands cheering every day.

When Harry rehearsed his opening speech, Meghan watched on.

As he rehearsed his remarks for tonight she was there too. In fact, she took this photo.

It was Harry's turn to watch Meghan take to the stage first as the Duchess delivered an outstanding speech leading the standing ovation for friends and family. Meghan is a sublime public speaker. We've heard her speak passionately at the launch of Together; she also delivered an inspiring speech on education in Fiji. Tonight, Meghan took to the stage in support of Harry and to express her gratitude for the warm welcome into the Invictus family she's received. Meghan also revealed visits abroad she's made over the years to visit troops. The Duchess has done a substantial amount of volunteer work across a number of sectors, some of which we are still learning about. Little did she know, it would all serve her in good stead for her role as a member of the Royal family.

The Duchess opened by saying: "It is such an honour to be here tonight celebrating all of you, and supporting my husband in the Invictus Games, which he founded four years ago. In that short span of time, the Games have evolved into an international platform of some of the best athletics and sportsmanship you could ever witness, coupled with a camaraderie and close-knit sense of community which can only be defined as the Invictus Spirit. With that said, and on a very personal note, I just wanted to thank all of you for welcoming me into the Invictus family. I am truly so grateful to be a part of this with each and every one of you."

The Duchess continued:

'And I’m not sure if many of you know this, but a few years ago, before I had met my husband, I had the incredible honour of visiting troops deployed all over the world; from the UK to Italy and Afghanistan, and several other countries. In travelling to these military bases, I was given a very special glimpse into the lives of those who serve our countries.

I was able to see the unshakable bonds between service men and women on the ground together, but at the same time to feel the palpable longing for family and friends while deployed. Once home, the need for that anchor of support from loved ones, especially given how much it accelerates recovery and rehabilitation, is immeasurable. I’ve been reminded of those memories here. During this year’s Games in Sydney I’ve witnessed the most amazing support networks that surround competitors, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting several of these family and friends.

The Novak family from Chicago is a prime example of this very thing. When their son Ryan suffered a severe injury leaving him paralysed from the waist down, doctors said he would never be able to walk again. But after speaking to his mom, Karri, it was clear that it was through Ryan’s strength of spirit, and with the unwavering support of his parents, that he was able to prove all of those doctors wrong.

Not only has Ryan competed in sailing, swimming and athletics this week, but when Harry and I saw him at the finish line of the sailing competition, he literally jumped into our boat (with dexterity and ease, by the way) to give both of us a hug. Seeing Ryan’s mom on the water that day, waving a flag to cheer him on was a moment I will never forget.

The support system on the ground here at Invictus is something unlike any other. Because it’s not just cheering on your own, but realising that by the end of this week, ‘your own’ becomes everyone in the Invictus family.'

It was, after all, only within 24 hours of meeting other families at the Games, that another competitors’ little girl was calling Karri, ‘Auntie Karri.’ This is what the Invictus family is all about. 

Meghan closed to cheers and applause as she said: "On that note, I would like to invite everyone to please join me in a huge round of applause to thank all the friends and family who have helped make these Games possible." The video below contains both Harry's and Meghan's speeches.

Prince Harry closed the ceremony with a powerful address. "Last Saturday, I spoke about how you were part of the Invictus generation. Your choice to serve your nations places you alongside those storied generations that have come before you, that fought two world wars and then secured a world order built on freedom, democracy, and tolerance. And of course this choice to serve - this choice to put yourselves at risk for the benefit of others - is at the very heart of what I founded these Invictus Games to celebrate. I wanted your service to be recognised. But what we saw again this week is that Invictus is so much more. Your example goes beyond the military community. It is about more than just your inspiring stories of recovery from injury and illness. It is about your example of determination, of optimism, of strength, honour and friendship, or as the Aussies call it 'mateship', as a core value that has the power to inspire the world."

Prince Harry continued:

'When we saw Paul Guest and Edwin Vermetten support each other through Paul’s struggle with Post Traumatic Stress on the tennis court in front of a large audience, we saw what mateship really looks like. When Jakub Tynka fought through excruciating leg pain for the final 20 minutes of his cycling event, and let the cheering crowd and his fellow competitors Benjamin and Cedric push him over the finish line, we saw the definition of strength. When you saw Hannah Stolberg crossing the finish line on a bike which belonged to a late fellow serviceman whose values she strives to emulate, you witnessed the real meaning of honour. And, when 67-year old former military nurse Cavell Simmonds decided age was just a number and entered into five sports at her first Invictus Games, you saw what determination really looks like.

These men and women are role models. They are who every child should look up to. In a world where negativity is given too much of a platform, our Invictus competitors – many of whom have been given a second chance at life - are achieving extraordinary things.

Now, a lot of exciting labels get attached to the guys and girls who compete in these Games. They get called heroes. They’re tagged as legends. They’re referred to as superhumans. Now of course all those things are true! Right? Well I believe, that the real power of their example is that they are not superheroes. (Sorry to break it to you guys!) Because as you have witnessed this past week, what they are achieving isn’t impossible nor is it magical. You have seen it happen before your very eyes because these competitors have made it happen.

They are men and women who have confronted a challenge and overcome it. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And with the help of their friends and families, they have exceeded every expectation. That is something we can all aspire to. You do not have to be a veteran who has fought back from injury to be inspired by the Invictus example. You can be a teacher or a doctor, a mum or a dad, a child or a grandparent, a farmer, a plumber, a lawyer, or a CEO. Or anything at all. You can identify something in your own life that you want to change for the better. And you can let the men and women of the Invictus Games remind you that no challenge is too difficult to overcome.

Nowhere is that truer than in the area of mental health. By simply being here and fighting back from some of the darkest experiences known to anyone, you have become role models for everyone at home or in the stands who might be struggling with their emotions or with a mental illness.

For that friend or comrade you know who is unable to open up about their struggles. For that man or woman who has watched on television, you are proving that it’s OK to talk about how we feel. To girls and boys who see you speaking openly about anxiety, stress, and depression, you are showing it’s OK not to be OK. And most importantly, you are showing us all that it’s OK to ask for help.

Asking for help is courageous. It will improve your life and the lives of those around you immeasurably. In the moment you admit that you are struggling, you take that first step towards a better future for you and your friends and your family. You allow those around you to show you the love and concern that is central to the cure. I’ve been there, you’ve been there, and we now need to reach out to those who can never even imagine themselves in that place.

I hope the ethos of these Games has also shown you that we all have mental health, just as much as we all have physical health. I hope you have seen that our mental fitness is even more important than our physical fitness, because without it, we cannot survive, let alone thrive. So for all the civvies, or civilians out there, look at what these men and women have achieved and know that one day, though you may not be injured in combat, physical or emotional injuries can happen to any one of us, on any given day.

The secret of these Invictus Games is not really about the amazing medical science that has saved the lives of our competitors and helped many of them to walk, swim, or move again. The secret to the success of these Games has been accepting that mental health is the real key to recovery. Our competitors have helped turn the issue of mental health from a sad story to an inspiring one. They want to live, rather than just be alive. When you accept a challenge is real, you can have hope. When you understand your vulnerability, you can become strong. When you are brave enough to ask for help, you can be lifted up.  You can start living, doing, feeling - not simply surviving.

And when you share your story, you can change the world. And I can’t think of a better way to continue serving your country. I am so proud to call you my friends and my Invictus family. You are the Invictus generation and you are showing us all that anything is possible. Thank you to everyone for an amazing Sydney Games - we’ll see you in the Netherlands in 2020.'

View the closing ceremony in its entirety here. I promise you'll enjoy it.

The Duchess selected a khaki tuxedo style backless dress by Antonio Berardi. It is thought the piece is bespoke. Meghan has been a fan of the designer for some years and a sleek tuxedo dress is a staple in her wardrobe.

The Duchess carried the $225 Cuyana Mini Chain Saddle bag (with thanks to Michelle and Suri).

More on the background of the brand:

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As part of our mission to empower women, the Lean Closet movement was created to give victims of abuse a fresh start in partnership with H.E.A.R.T. By selecting Lean Closet at checkout, we will send you a linen bag to fill with the things that are no longer of use to you. Mail the bag back to us with the included shipping label, and for every donation you make, you will receive a $10 credit towards your next Cuyana purchase.'

The Duchess wore the Aquazzura Casablanca peach suede pumps.

 The Duchess accessorised with a striking pair of statement earrings.

Commenter Anne from What Meghan Wore suggests they are the Natalie Marie Dotted Mana Studs.

And her Pippa Small Oshna and Omeen bangles.

If you're just joining us, click here to read today's earlier post.

Tomorrow's Schedule, Sunday 28 October:

• On Sunday 28th October, the Duke and Duchess will depart on a Royal New Zealand Air Force flight for Wellington. The Sussexes will travel on the same aircraft as a number of the New Zealand Invictus Games competitors, and on arrival, will be met off the plane together by the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
• From the airport, Harry and Meghan will attend the traditional welcome ceremony on the lawns of Government House – the residence of the Governor-General to New Zealand Dame Patsy Reddy. Their Royal Highnesses will be invited to hongi with the Governor-General’s kuia and kaumātua (Māori elders), before the pōwhiri, which includes a haka performed by members of the New Zealand Defence Force. The ceremony will also include a 21-gun salute, and will be attended by school children.
• They will then travel to the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. Here, they will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and will visit the newly unveiled UK War Memorial – whose design takes the form of two of the United Kingdom and New Zealand’s most iconic trees – the Royal Oak and a pōhutakawa. This engagement will be followed by a public walkabout in the Memorial Park.

We'll see you tomorrow for the New Zealand leg of the tour!